A wireless communication system constitutes a wireless ad hoc network. A plurality of wireless terminals include a receiving terminal and a plurality of the transmitting terminals. Each of the transmitting terminals executes direct communication or indirect communication. The wireless communication system includes a first obtainer that obtains a reception side terminal number which is the number of the wireless terminals with which the receiving terminal is able to communicate directly, a second obtainer that obtains a transmission side terminal number which is the number of the wireless terminals with which a target transmitting terminal, which is one of the plurality of transmitting terminals, is able to communicate directly, and a setter that selects one of the direct communication and the indirect communication based on the reception side terminal number and the transmission side terminal number, and sets the target transmitting terminal so as to execute the selected communication.